We’ve had a lot of success with our tomatoes so far this summer, so these babies are as fresh as they come! In other words, I’m an amazing farmer! Just kidding! However, I am glad we ended up planting the yellow pear heirloom cherries along with the red. Such a beautiful contrast, right?!

To get started, boil a pot of salted water. Grab your preferred pasta shape and cook according to the package directions. Don’t cook for too long though, just to al dente. No soggy pasta up in here!

While waiting on the pasta, go ahead and start prepping your veggies…

Dice up an onion and halve your tomatoes. Next, the best part…Garlic, man I love garlic! Go ahead a grab a full head of it! I added about seven minced cloves to mine. When you sauté minced garlic with butter and olive oil, it gets a sort of nutty taste. Delicious!

Next, melt the butter and olive oil in your skillet, add the onion and cook until translucent. Toss in the halved yellow and cherry tomatoes and cook until they release their juices and get soft. Most importantly, add in all of that beautiful garlic and stir! Once the garlic becomes fragrant, it’s time to add the julienned basil.

Next, add the pasta water. Start with two cups and add more if you want it saucier, but go slow. Lastly, add freshly grated black pepper and a bit more salt if needed.

Serve the pasta family style from the skillet or in bowls. Sprinkle on some parmesan cheese and garnish with basil. Voila, dinner is done! Garlicky tomato basil pasta pairs perfectly with a side of roasted asparagus or broccoli.

Feelin’ like something a little cheesier? Try this yummy mac! https://lalaandzo.com/mac-cheese-with-kale-bacon-vegetarian/

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Garlicky Tomato Basil Pasta

Garlicky tomato basil pasta, delicious and so fresh. Perfect for summer… or whenever! Double the recipe to feed a crowd!

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb Pasta, any shape
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 small Onion, diced
• 2 cups Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 7 cloves Garlic, minced
• 6 leaves Basil, julienned
• 2 cups Pasta Water, salted

Instructions

• Boil a pot of salted water. Grab your preferred pasta shape and cook according to the package directions. Al dente is best.
• Dice the onion and halve the tomatoes. Next, the best part…Garlic! I added about seven minced cloves to mine.
• Next, melt the butter and olive oil in skillet, add the onion and cook until translucent. Toss in the halved yellow and cherry tomatoes and cook until they release their juices and get soft.
• Add in all of that beautiful garlic and stir! Once the garlic becomes fragrant, add the julienned basil.
• Next, add the pasta water. Start with two cups and add more if you want it saucier, but go slow. Lastly, add freshly grated black pepper and a bit more salt if needed.
• Serve the pasta family style from the skillet or in bowls. Sprinkle on some parmesan cheese and garnish with basil.

The post Garlicky Tomato Basil Pasta appeared first on Lala & Zo.

It comes together fairly quickly too. On this particular day, I made it in between games of a soccer tournament. Gotta feed the hungry players, right? You can use any pasta shape you like, I used cellentani. I love the thick spirals, they really hold on to any sauce you drench them in. Also, you can use pre-shredded cheese, I have in the past, but nothing beats freshly grated cheese. It melts smoother and stays creamier. Just do it!

Cook the pasta noodles as you’re shredding the cheese, that way you can set them aside and focus on the sauce. You don’t want to burn its gloriousness! I also like to throw the chopped kale in during the last couple of minutes of cooking the pasta. It helps to soften and cook a bit of the rawness out of it.

Once it’s all done, serve it hot in bowls with a sprinkle of extra cheese and the bacon crumbles on top. You can certainly mix the bacon crumbles into the mac, but they tend to get a little softer due to the sauce. Be like me, sprinkle them on top, because I like them to stay extra crispy.

If you want to get extra fancy, add the finished mac to an oven safe dish and top with a breadcrumb topping. Pop into the oven until it’s golden and bubbly.

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Mac & Cheese with Kale & Bacon

Mac & Cheese grown up style. It's creamy and rich with a smoky bite.

Author Leslie

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 medium bell pepper, yellow, diced
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup colby jack, shredded
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups kale, chopped
• 12 oz pasta, I used cellentani, cooked
• 6 slices vegetarian bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions

• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. During the last couple of minutes, add the chopped kale. Drain the pasta/kale and set aside while you make the cheese sauce.
• Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened.
• Add the cream cheese and half and half and whisk until the cream cheese is smooth. Add the milk, sharp cheddar and colby jack and whisk until the cheeses are melted. 
• Stir in the garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of milk if the sauce is too thick. Pour the cheese sauce over the drained pasta and stir. 
• Scoop into bowls and top with extra cheese and the crumbled bacon. Serve hot.

Notes

If you want to get extra fancy, add the finished mac to a baking dish and top with a breaded topping. Pop in the oven to brown the topping and then serve.

The post Mac & Cheese With Kale & Bacon- Vegetarian appeared first on Lala & Zo.

They turned out so decadent, they were…

• rich
• cheesy
• smokey
• fulfilling

The creaminess of them reminded me a lot of scalloped potatoes. I guess they are essentially the same, just a different veggie. They came together quickly too, which will be a plus on one of the busiest kitchen days of the year.

I wasn’t sure how my kids would feel about them, as brussels are not one of their favorite vegetables. However, dun dun dun dunnn…They are so good they change the minds of brussels sprouts haters!

I like to buy my produce at Sprouts and saw these cute tender baby brussels. They are a bit smaller than regular brussels and were definitely tender! To get them ready to cook, I rinsed the whole bag and then trimmed the bottoms and cut them in half.

To a large oven proof skillet, add the olive oil and butter. Over medium-high heat, add the brussels. Cook until browned and crispy on all sides, about 5-6 minutes.

While the brussels are getting their brown on, cook the vegetarian bacon according to the package instructions. Chop into crumbles and set aside.

Next, add the minced garlic to the pan and stir quickly for about 1 minute, so you don’t burn it. Carefully pour the milks in and let it simmer until it becomes a thick creamy sauce.

Add in the chopped bacon and season with pepper, stir. Sprinkle the parmesan and monty jack cheese over the top and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Crank the oven to broil and broil for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve hot.

As you’re preparing for Thanksgiving this year, keep this recipe in mind. It’s sure to please and won’t take up a lot of your cooking time.

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Cheesy Scalloped Brussels Sprouts With Bacon- Vegetarian

Rich, smokey & comforting! Full of gooey cheese and smokey bacon, these brussels sprouts are so good, they change the minds of brussels sprouts haters! 

Author Leslie

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 lbs tender baby brussels, trimmed and cut in half
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 6 slices *vegetarian bacon, cooked and crumbled
• pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup monty jack cheese, shredded

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• To a large oven proof skillet, add the olive oil and butter. Heat on medium heat. Next, add in the prepared brussels sprouts and cook until golden brown and crispy, 5-6 mins.
• While the brussels are cooking, cook the bacon strips according to package instructions and then chop into crumbles. Set aside.
• Next, add the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, do not burn. Lower the heat to low and pour the milks in. 
• Simmer until brussels are tender and milks turn into a creamy sauce- about 10 mins. Making sure to stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the chopped bacon and pepper to pan and stir all together. Top with parmesan and monty jack cheese.
• Bake for 10 mins. Turn the oven to broil and let it go for another 3-4 mins to make the cheese golden brown.

Notes

*We like to use the Veggie Bacon strips from Morning Star.

The post Cheesy Scalloped Brussels Sprouts With Bacon-Vegetarian appeared first on Lala & Zo.

I was never super impressed by each of these soups on their own, but man does it do something when they are mixed together. This is now the way my family requests it. I must admit, I’ve never tried the actual zuppa toscana soup from Olive Garden, as we don’t eat pork. I’ve relied on close friends who say the knock off is just as good, if not better than the OG.

I know it’s only the end of July, but fall will be here in a blink. Plus, we actually enjoy soup and chili all throughout the year. Lets get to it, this is how we make it…

Notes…

We feel that the potato gnocchi are a bit too big once cooked and find ourselves cutting them in half while eating. You can cut them in half before cooking like we now do, or leave this step out if the full size doesn’t bother you.

Also, I use the Gimme Lean Meatless Veggie Sausage and my meat eaters can’t tell a difference. Don’t you love when that happens? Since the veggie sausage is not the real deal, it doesn’t put out a lot of fat. To combat this, I add a butter and olive oil combo to the pan when browning it. I also like to use a nonstick skillet, because it likes to stick.

Lastly, we love both spinach and kale. We’ve made this soup multiple times with both, so use whichever one you prefer or have on hand.

To a large pot add the olive oil and butter. Next, add the veggie sausage and cook until brown and crumbly.

Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set it aside while you let the trifecta of veggies cook. Onion, carrots and celery cooking together is one of the best smells in the world, don’t you agree?

Next add the garlic and flour. Cook for a couple of minutes to get the raw taste out of the flour. Pour in the veggie broth and crushed red pepper and whisk together. Add the sliced potatoes cook for 10 minutes. Add in the halved gnocchi and simmer for 5 more minutes. Next, add in the kale/spinach and half and half.

Let everything warm back up and serve hot in bowls with a crusty chunk of garlic bread.

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Zuppa Toscana & Gnocchi Soup

Savory, creamy and delicious. Full of chunks of potato, gnocchi and sausage. This soup is sure to satisfy whether it's cold out or not!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6

Author Leslie- Lala & Zo

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 14 oz meatless veggie sausage
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 package potato gnocchi, each cut in half
• 3 cups kale or spinach, chopped
• 2 cups half and half
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp crush red pepper flakes
• parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Warm the olive oil and butter in a large pot, add and brown the sausage. When done, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Next, add in the diced onion, carrot and celery, cook until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, do not burn. 
• Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Next, pour in the vegetable broth and crushed red pepper, whisk together. 
• Add the thinly sliced potato and let cook for 10 mins. Cut each of the potato gnocchi in half. Add them to the pot and let simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Add in the chopped spinach/kale and let wilt. Pour in half and half and let heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve hot in bowls topped with shredded parmesan cheese.

Notes

We've also made this with almond milk in the place of half and half. It's not quite as creamy that way, but equally delish.

The post Zuppa Toscana & Gnocchi Soup- Vegetarian appeared first on Lala & Zo.

This tortellini with marinara dish is one of those after church on Sunday, stick to your bones kind of meals. You can eat it anytime of day and any day of the week, of course…you know what I mean. It’s got all the things a pasta dish should have and is topped with gooey melty cheese! Bonus, it comes together quickly enough for a week night meal.

I prefer to make my own sauce. It’s super easy to do and we always have the ingredients on hand. If you want to use store bought, that’s okay too. Judgement free zone over here!

First, start out by making the marinara so that it can simmer while you make the pasta and side dish of your choosing. To get started, add the olive oil to a sauce pan. Try to use one that you have a lid to, you don’t want simmering tomato to splatter everywhere! Cook the diced onion, celery and carrots until they are softened.

Next, add in the can of crushed tomatoes and the tomato paste. The tomato paste gives the sauce a nice richness and adds an extra layer of tomato goodness. Sprinkle in the seasonings and butter. The sugar and butter help to cut down on the acidity of the tomatoes. Pop the lid on and let the sauce simmer for 20-30 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the tortellini according to the package instructions. Dice up the fresh basil and green onions and set them aside. Shred the parmesan if using and open the package of fresh mozzarella pearls.

When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the simmering tomato sauce. Stir until all the pasta is coated with the sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.

My family likes to have the cheese melted, but I’m weird and like the cold pops of mozzarella in my hot pasta. Yum!

This particular time I just popped the lid on the pan to let the cheese melt a bit. You could also throw it under the broiler to really get things going. It’s been 100+ around these parts, so I decided against turning the oven on.

Lastly, top everything with the diced green onion and chopped basil. Serve hot.

It pairs nicely with a salad, fresh green beans or a big chunk of crusty garlic bread. Just invite me over when you make it, okay?!

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Tortellini with Marinara and Mozzarella Pearls

Author Leslie

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 package cheese tortellini
• 1/2 package fresh mozzarella pearls

Garnish

• 4 leaves fresh basil, chopped
• parmesan cheese, shredded
• 3 green onions, chopped

Instructions

• Warm olive oil in a saucepan with a lid.  
• Add diced onion, celery and carrot. Cook vegetables until they are tender. 
• Carefully pour can of crushed tomatoes and tomato paste in.
• Add the garlic powder, sugar and butter, stir. Next add in salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover with a lid and simmer for 20-30 mins. The longer the better. Stirring occasionally. 
• While the sauce is simmering, cook the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain when done.
• Serve sauce over the tortellini or mix the two together and then top with mozzarella pearls.
• At this point you can cover with a lid and let the residual heat melt the pearls or you can pop the pan under the broiler for a few minutes. 
• Garnish with fresh basil, shredded parmesan cheese and green onions.

The post Tortellini with Marinara and Mozzarella Pearls appeared first on Lala & Zo.

Rice comes as a staple side dish at most Spanish and Mexican restaurants. This is surely because not only is it simple, but if done right, it’s packed full of flavor.

There are many ways to make it and this is my favorite. I like to use basmati rice, but most Spanish rice recipes call for a medium grain rice. Then again, I’m a rebel and use basmati rice in every recipe that calls for rice, even rice pudding. I feel that it cooks a bit quicker and is so fluffy.

I also like to use a combo of veggie broth and bouillon for optimal flavor. The best bouillon that I’ve found that is vegetarian friendly is Edward & Sons Not-Beef Bouillon Cubes. They are actually vegan and gluten free. I’ve also used and buy their other flavors and like them too. Just be careful, because they do have quite a bit of salt in them, so adjust accordingly when you use them.

Toasting the rice is also a very necessary step in my opinion. It gives the rice a slightly almost nutty flavor. Now that I think about it, I wonder what toasting the rice would do to rice pudding? I need to try that next.

Pair it with black beans and corn salsa to make nachos. Use it as a filling for rice and bean enchiladas. Or if you don’t want to make it vegetarian, add seared chicken for arroz con pollo, there are so many possibilities. It’s so good that I even like to eat it on its own.

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Spanish Basmati Rice

Author Leslie

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cube not-beef cube
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

Instructions

• Add the oil to the bottom of a large skillet. Pour the rice in and slowly toast the rice, making sure to stir often. Do not burn.
• In a blender, add the veggie broth, can of tomatoes and chilies, tomato paste, onion, garlic and not-beef cube. Pulse until blended.
• Once the rice becomes a light golden brown color, carefully pour the liquid mixture into the pan.
• Stir the seasonings(salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin) in. 
• Make sure the rice is completely covered by the liquid, if not add more veggie broth until it is.
• Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low-med.
• Cover and simmer until rice is tender. About 20 mins, depending on size of pan.
• Fluff with a fork and garnish with fresh cilantro.

The post Simple Spanish Rice With Basmati- Vegan appeared first on Lala & Zo.

Fresh and quick, this corn salsa is so good! With it being summer, I have an abundance of fresh vegetables to cook with. Well not corn, raccoons or squirrels always eat it. Makes me so mad! We use this deliciousness in many ways… scoop it with a chip, sprinkle it over jackfruit tacos or nachos. Heck, eat it with a spoon, doesn’t matter.

I love that with few ingredients, there is so much flavor. The longer it sits, the flavors really meld together. My favorite tomato to use in this is halved cherry tomatoes. I feel like they hold together better and don’t turn into mush by the next day. Also, double the jalapeños for an extra special kick! Add it to a tortilla with beans for a vegetarian friendly burrito. So many possibilities!

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Corn Salsa

Author Leslie

Ingredients

• 1 12 oz bag frozen corn kernels
• 1 small purple onion, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1-2 jalapeno, diced
• 3 tbsp cilantro chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 lime, juice

Instructions

• In a medium sized bowl, add corn, diced onion, diced tomatoes and chopped cilantro. Stir.
• Add in each of the seasonings and lime juice. Add more salt or other seasonings if needed.
• Refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve.

Notes

Use any tomato you want, my fav is cherry. I use around 12, halved.

Best if eaten within 2 days.

The post Corn Salsa With A Fresh & Spicy Kick appeared first on Lala & Zo.

Jackfruit is something that I started cooking with about a year into my vegetarian journey. Prior to that, I cooked primarily with chicken. To say that I miss the ease of cooking with chicken would be an understatement. It was and is hard to come up with vegetarian options that not only I, but that my family love as well. Lately, my go to taco recipe has been a blend of potatoes, peppers and quinoa. We all love that combo, but I was itching to try something new. These jackfruit and zucchini tacos fit the bill!

Sorry for the wonky lighting, it’s from my vent hood light. Anyways, this is how I cut my jackfruit for every recipe that I use it in. By cutting it this way, you get that shredded chicken look as it cooks. Also, for me it was hard to find canned jackfruit, I now buy mine at Sprouts. They’re sold out quite a bit, so I stock up when I can. FYI, it can be a bit pricey. Last I checked, it was $3.75 per can.

Here’s the filling all done and ready to be stuffed into tortillas!

Garnish the tacos with diced purple onion, chopped cilantro and chipotle crema. Voila, yummy vegetarian tacos for the win! I know it may sound odd, but jackfruit really works here, give it a whirl.

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Jackfruit & Zucchini tacos with Chipotle Crema

Makes 10 tacos

Author Leslie

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 med purple onion, diced
• 1 14 oz can jackfruit, drained, rinsed and shredded
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 not-beef cube
• 1 tbsp adobo sauce

Crispy tortillas

• 10 corn tortillas
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Chipotle Crema

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• 1 pepper from can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin

Instructions

• In a large skillet, add olive oil and chopped onions.
• Drain and rinse the jackfruit and then shred with a knife. Add to the skillet.
• Chop the zucchini pieces the same size as the onion and add to pan. Let this mixture cook until the onions and zucchini are both caramelized. 
• Pour the water in to deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin and chili powder. Stir.
• Add in half of the not-beef cube and adobo sauce. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and keep mixture warm while you prepare the crema and tortillas.

Chipotle Crema

• Add all crema ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.

Tortillas

• In a clean skillet, add the tbsp of vegetable oil and fry the tortillas one at a time until golden on each side.
• Fill each tortilla with the taco filling and then garnish with chipotle crema, onion and fresh cilantro.

The post Jackfruit and Zucchini Tacos with Chipotle Crema appeared first on Lala & Zo.

It’s summer, so I know there are a million and one pasta salad recipes on the web, but this one is my favorite and won’t disappoint! It’s colorful, fresh and full of flavor. Enjoy it on its own or as a compliment to grilled salmon and a glass of moscato.

This recipe comes together quickly and lasts up to four days in the fridge. Also, the ingredients are very forgiving, just leave out or substitute what suits your taste buds. I like to make my own vinaigrette to toss everything in, but using a store bought bottle of Italian dressing works out great. I’ve also made a ranch version by using the Hidden Valley Ranch packets, it’s a dream!

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Multi-colored Pasta Salad

Colorful, fresh and satisfying.

Author Leslie

Ingredients

• 12 oz, box tri-colored rotini pasta, cooked to package instructions
• 1 small purple onion, diced
• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup black olives, rinsed and halved
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Dressing

• 1 tbsp McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp oregano, dried

Instructions

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, add pasta and cook to package instructions.
• While pasta is cooking, prep the veggies and put them in a large bowl.
• When pasta is done, drain and rinse under cold water. Add to the large bowl and toss with veggies.
• Add dressing ingredients to a small mixing bowl, mix until combined.
• Pour dressing over pasta and veggies. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
• Cover and keep in fridge until ready to serve.

In a pinch? Add a small bottle of store bought Italian dressing instead of making your own!

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